Justice in the handcuffing and arrest of 6-year-old Salecia Johnson

On April 13th, our six-year-old daughter, Salecia Johnson was handcuffed and arrested at her school, Creekside Elementary in Baldwin, GA for a so-called 'temper tantrum'. She was charged with battery and suspended for the remainder of the school year.

The school took all of these actions without notifying us. Although they claim to have called, we did not have any record of these calls on any of our phones. As a result our daughter was in police custody for more than an hour before we knew.

Salecia has been traumatized by this experience. She's afraid to return to school and recently woke up in the middle of the night saying 'they are coming to get me.'

In all of this, the most important thing is that this incident does not become anymore of a setback for Salecia and her future. Although we are now being told that Salecia can return to school after a week and there are reports that the charges have been dropped (the police have not notified us), a record of her arrest exists. Also, we believe there should be a more in-depth examination of what happened and why police were brought in to deal with a matter of school discipline.

We are calling on Milledgeville officials to remove any record of Salecia's arrest and end the use of police in school discipline.

Please join us in demanding justice for Salecia. We cannot allow this to happen to another child.

Thank you,

Constance Ruff

Letter to

Milledgeville Mayor, City Council, School Board, GA Dept. of Education

Baldwin County School BoardGloria Wicker

Baldwin County School BoardHarold Simmons

and 5 others

Baldwin County School BoardMike Couch

Baldwin County School BoardJohn Jackson

Wes Cummings

Baldwin County School SuperintendentGeneva Braziel

Principal, Creekside Elementary SchoolDianne Becker

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Milledgeville Mayor, City Council, School Board, GA Dept. of Education.

----------------I demand justice and accountability in the handcuffing and arrest of 6-year-old Salecia Johnson

On April 13th, Salecia Johnson was handcuffed and arrested at her school, Creekside Elementary in Baldwin, GA for a so-called temper tantrum. She was charged with battery and suspended for the remainder of the school year.

The school took all of these actions without notifying her parents. As a result, Salecia was held in police custody for more than an hour before they knew.

Salecia has been traumatized by this experience. She is afraid to return to school and recently woke up in the middle of the night saying 'they are coming to get me.'

In all of this, the most important thing is that this incident does not become anymore of a setback for Salecia and her future. Although her family been told that Salecia can return to school after a week and there are reports that the charges have been dropped, an arrest record exists and we believe there should be a more in-depth examination of what happened and why police were brought in to handle a school discipline matter.

We are calling on Milledgeville officials to remove any record of Salecia's arrest and end the use police for school discipline.

Please act promptly to address this situation and make sure it never happens to another child.